Her Mistake
by AmazingArekusa
Summary: Will a girl's help ruin her relationship with the boy she loves?


House: Slytherin

Year: 7

Category: Standard

Prompt: It all started with a simple "Good Morning" and went downhill from there.(First line)

Word Count: 1451

It all started with a simple "Good Morning", and went downhill from there. I'd been in Slytherin for 4 years. I was doing pretty good before she happened. She ruined everything. My reputation, my name, my feelings, everything. It hasn't been the same since.

Now, from my experience, being "somebody" in Slytherin takes years to accomplish. It took my 4 years to reach where I am now. I wouldn't say I'm more popular than Draco Malfoy, but I am certainly more popular than Crabbe and Goyle. I made it where I am without anyone's help. And this girl, this stupid girl, had the audacity to rip all of that away from me without my permission. What's more, she's a Hufflepuff. Do I have to repeat myself? SHE'S A HUFFLEPUFF.

Before I rant too much or get carried away, I need to tell my story. My embarrassing, horrendous story.

I was having the best life at school that I had ever experienced. My grades were high, my friends were awesome, I had new ones by the end of each week, Draco didn't even spare a glance at me, and for once, I wasn't the runt of the litter anymore. I had everything.

One morning, I was heading to Defense Against the Dark Arts. A group of girls were walking behind me. Before I could get into the classroom first, they zoomed around me and beat me to it. They "bumped" into me in the process, a trick which a lot of girls used just to get in contact with me. However, I was in a great mood, so I didn't mind. Instead, I looked at one of the Hufflepuff girls and said "Good morning."

That evening, my lads and I were at the Great Hall. It was in Winter Break, so there weren't many students at dinner. We ran out of butter for our biscuits, so I went to get some more from a nearby table. As I turned to head back to our place, someone tripped me. The cups I had gathered were smeared over my sweater because I fell on top of them. I sat on the floor and tried to get the stains out with my hands.

Out of nowhere, the Hufflepuff girl that I said good morning to walks up to the Slytherins who had tripped me, who, coincidently, were Draco and his group of robots. She stood in front of me, as if I needed someone to protect me.

"It's not very nice to trip people when they're simply just getting a bit of butter. How would you feel if you were getting a nice cup of tea that you'd been craving the whole day, and then have it spilled all over your new pair of pants?" The Hufflepuff girl had no fear in her voice whatsoever. And it wasn't like she had a very intimidating figure in the first place. She was the size of a ten-year-old, however, surprisingly she was a fourth year.

I was not going to have someone talk for me when I was perfectly capable of doing it myself. I wiped my hands on my already ruined sweater and glared at Draco.

"What was that for?" I crossed my arms and lifted my head, seeming taller than him now.

"For my entertainment. I got to say, Justin, you make a good clown. My father could hire you, you know," Draco mocked, his friends snickering at me from behind him.

"I don't need your stupid father to hire me. I don't need to depend on anyone, actually. Unlike you, who basically gets spoon fed everything," I spat.

"My father-" Draco began to say, but was interrupted by the Hufflepuff girl.

"Now, now, boys. You're both pretty, now shut up."

I just scoffed and left. I didn't need anyone to help me, much less a Hufflepuff.

The next day, I was heading to breakfast. I carefully went to my spot at the Slytherin table. I avoided eye contact with Draco at all costs. I didn't need anything crap from him that day. When I finished my plate, I immediately got up and left. As I was leaving the Great Hall, the girl caught up to me.

She grabbed my arm and turned me around to face her.

"Um, can I help you?"

"Nope, but I can help you," she said sweetly.

I laughed to myself, thinking of how stupid she was. "Right, well I never asked for your help. I don't need your help. I never will need your help." I turned straight around. I don't need a bodyguard. She left me alone that day.

The following few days were about the same. Draco had been more interested in poking at me than usual. But lucky for me, my superhero was always there to save me. Yay. I'd end up scowling at her. I learned her name in the process. It was Carol.

"Stop protecting me. I don't need you. I'm just fine by myself. I don't need a personal superhero every time Draco wants to make me feel stupid."

"But I'm just trying to help," she would say.

"I don't want your help."

Anyway, the final straw was when Draco had seen me in "close" distance with Carol. She was going to the same class as me, and she was only a few feet behind me.

"Aww, look. Justy's got himself a girlfriend. One that can actually finish his little fights," Draco had said, making kissy faces.

"She's not my girlfriend, and never will be. She's the last person who I'd let finish my fights," I retorted, my blood boiling over the assumption. I looked back at her and glared. She looked surprised.

"Aww, I think you hurt her feelings, Justy. That's not very nice, now is it?"

"Shove off, Malfoy. At least I don't go running to my father about my miserable life." Draco's expression of triumph changed to embarrassment as he continued walking.

I whipped around to Carol and glared hard. "Can you stop following me?"

"I'm not following you," she said calmly.

"Then how do you know where I am in my 'time of dire need'?"

Carol opened her mouth, but nothing came out that explained herself. Before she could say anything, I needed to get my point across,

"Just stay away from me, got it? You aren't helping me in any way, shape or form. You're actually hurting me."

"How am I hurting you? I'm helping you stop Draco," she said so innocently.

"You seriously think that Draco is going to stop being a jerk because of you? What, you think we're Batman and Robin? Nothing's going to stop that guy. He won't stop just because two fourth years hurt his feelings."

"But I thought maybe..." she began.

"No. Stop. Stop lying to yourself. I don't need you. I never needed you. Actually, my life was great before you came in. Don't you get it? You ruined my life. No one talks to me in Slytherin now. Everything I had is gone. And who's fault do you think it is?"

"I never meant for-" she said, stopping because she was tearing up.

"Oh, of course you didn't. You know, Hufflepuffs always try to help, but do they ever think of when people don't want their help? I didn't ask for your 'help', did I?"

"Well, no but-"

"Why are you trying to defend me so much? I never asked you for anything, and all of a sudden here you are."

"I-I… the truth is, I really like you. I've liked you for a while now."

"Oh, great. Just great. Do not hit me with that 'I like you so I tried to help you' thing. That gives you no right to help me in anything. I don't even know you."

"I know, I know. And you're so right, I just. You never would have known who I was if I didn't do anything," she said through sobs.

"Yeah, well, I would have liked you more if you had just stayed within yourself."

I was so angry at her. I hated how liking me made her think that she had the right to protect me from any 'danger' I faced. I don't want anyone doing my work. If I was to stop Draco from messing with me, it would be because of my own doing.

"Just stay away from me. Don't ever talk to or for me again." I turned around, my blood boiling inside of me. I never wanted to see her face again.

"Justin…" I could hear her call after me. "Justin, please…" Her sobs echoed in the empty hallway.

I will never have anyone defend me again.


End file.
